Category Archives: Top Story

Death Announced of Michellee K. Speirs of Old Lyme—Justice of the Peace, ‘Tireless Volunteer’, ‘First and Foremost … a Wife and Mother’

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OLD LYME—Michellee K. Speirs of Old Lyme, died Friday Feb. 7, 2025, after a courageous health battle …

She is survived by her beloved husband Peter B. Speirs; and son Alec D. Speirs. Also surviving are her brothers, Ronald Kopald and Seth Kopald (Kathryn) … ; her sisters, Kim Griswold (Doug), Sandy Dubek (Bob) and Tori Kitchen (Rick) … In addition, she leaves behind a multitude of treasured relatives and true friends.

As a Justice of the Peace, Michellee joined many couples in marriage … Michellee was … a tireless volunteer for many organizations over the years. But first and foremost, Michellee was a wife and mother, not just to Alec but also to his many, many friends who searched Michellee out for advice, comfort and the support she always gave without judgment …

A memorial to celebrate Michellee’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 17, at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 1 Lyme Street, Old Lyme. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Michellee’s honor to the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation, 187 Williams Street, New London CT, or a charity of the donors choice …

Visit this link to read the full obituary published  by ‘The Day’ on Feb. 12, 2025.

Death Announced of John A. Russo, Jr., 91, of Old Lyme, US Army Veteran, Meteorologist

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OLD LYME—John A. Russo, Jr., 91, of Old Lyme, formerly of Newington, passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2025. He was the beloved husband of the late Barbara (Janssen) Russo …

John honorably served the country in the U.S. Army. John received a BS degree in Meteorology from City College NY and a Masters in Meteorology from University of AZ and an MBA degree in Business from UConn. He began his working career as a Meteorologist, statistician and researcher …

He was a member of Newington UNICO, and Christ the King Church in Old Lyme …

A loving father, grandfather and great grandfather, John leaves his children John A. Russo III, Vincent Russo, Melanie Scelza and her husband Frank, Stefanie Russo, Scott Russo, Michele Nanci, and his grandchildren … and his great-grandchildren …

Relatives and friends are invited to call on Tuesday, February 18th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial, 20 Bonair Ave., Newington, followed by a service with military honors at 11:00 a.m. He and Barbara will be laid to rest privately in the CT State Veteran Cemetery in Middletown …

Visit this link to read the full obituary published by WFSB on Feb. 12, 2025.

Lyme-Old Lyme HS Students Brave Freezing Temperatures to Build Bench for OL Open Space Commission

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Justifiably proud of their work, these Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) students, who are all members of the Environmental Club, stand behind the just-constructed bench in its new location at Rook’s Meadow Open Space in Old Lyme. Fizz, the mini-Australian Shepherd, who sits in pride of place, is owned by Open Space Commission member Andrea Fenton, who assisted with the project. All photos by A. Fenton.

OLD LYME—The Old Lyme Open Space Commission has been busy recently!

On Jan. 26, some 10 members of the Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) Environmental Club assembled a bench following the design of others already constructed on various Old Lyme Land Trust properties. Karen Taylor, who is a tutor at LOLHS, is the advisor for the Environmental Club.

These LOLHS Environmental Club members worked in freezing conditions to assemble the benches.

The students braved 30 degree weather to align and drill frames, which then supported the carefully-measured and spaced bench seat and back.

And they did it! Prior to placing the new seat in its final location at Rook’s Meadow Open Space, these hard-working students posed for a final photo on ‘their’ bench.

Some students helped place the new bench in the Rook’s Meadow Open Space in Old Lyme, where the existing cedar bench is still stable despite having lost its back!

Application Denied for Controversial Smith Neck Rd. House in 5-0 Vote at Monday’s Old Lyme Zoning Meeting

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OLD LYME—UPDATED 1/11 at 12:10 pm: The ‘Record of Votes’ related to Monday night’s meeting has now been published. Regarding the Special Permit Application to
replace and construct a new 5-bedroom residence with an attached 2 car garage at 43 Smith Neck Rd., RU-40 Zone, Jeffrey and Emily Merriam, applicants, the Record states, “A motion was made by D. Savageau, seconded by J. Marsh to DENY without prejudice the special permit. The Motion further stated that insufficient evidence had been submitted to allow the Commission to find the proposed activity would have or would be reasonably likely to have the effect of unreasonably polluting, impairing or destroying the public trust in the air, water, or other natural resources of the State of Connecticut.”

UPDATED 1/11 at 1am: The application for the proposed 11,000 sf house at 43 Smith Neck Rd.was denied without prejudice in a unanimous 5-0 vote at Monday night’s Old Lyme Zoning Commission meeting.

Around 50 people attended the meeting.

UPDATED 1/10 at 7pm with corrected number of days for Zoning Commission to deliberate. The proposed 11,000 sf house at 43 Smith Neck Rd. is back on the Old Lyme Zoning Commission’s agenda tonight. Their Regular Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Meeting Room at Old Lyme Town Hall.

Appearing as the first item under Old Business, the agenda item states, ” 43 Smith’s Neck Road, RU-40 Zone. Special Permit application to replace and construct a new 5-bedroom residence with an attached 2 car garage. Jeffrey and Emily Merriam, applicants.”

The Zoning Commission closed the Public Hearing at the end of the previous Jan 13 meeting. This means no further public comment can be heard on the matter and the Commission cannot ask any additional questions of the applicant.

The Commission must render a decision within 65 days of closing the Public Hearing. Members could vote on the proposed plans tonight but are not obliged to do so. They will, however, deliberate on the proposal this evening in a public setting but cannot entertain any comments from the public or ask any further questions of the applicant or their representatives.

At the Zoning Commission’s Regular Meeting on Jan. 13, some 17 residents offered opinions and concerns during the Public Hearing on the proposal. The comments made by members of the public all expressed a negative point of view towards the proposal.

Those commenting variously asked the Commission outright to deny the application for the 11,000 sq. ft. eight-bedroom, seven-bathroom house with two laundries, a swimming pool, and extensive gardens; or send it back to the Connecticut River Gateway Commission for further review; or to request answers to the numerous still unanswered questions by the applicant; or a number of other questions.

Related articles and letters published on LymeLine.com are as follows:

Letter to the Editor: Residents Urged to Attend ‘Crucial’ Zoning Meeting, Jan. 13 By Elizabeth Karter Published 1/4/2025

Letter to the Editor: Neighbors Question if Well Water Supply Sufficient for Proposed 7-Bathroom House on Smith Neck Rd., Old Lyme Zoning to Discuss at Monday Meeting By Claire and John Griffin Published 1/13/2025

Old Lyme Zoning Meeting Draws Over Capacity Crowd; Halls Rd. Overlay District Item Postponed to New Meeting, Wednesday By Admin Published 1/14/2025

Letter to the Editor: Support Old Lyme Zoning Commission in Enforcing Regulations for Smith Neck House Plan, Reminder That a Hill is Still a Hill By Elizabeth Karter Published 1/18/2025

Letter to the Editor: Smith Neck Rd. Proposed House Poses ‘Serious Threat’ to ‘Natural Beauty’ of CT River Valley By Susan and Thor Kayeum Published 1/20/2025

Letter to the Editor: Zoning Abyss in Old Lyme Means “No Rules” for Many Properties 

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To the Editor:

There are no rules in Old Lyme for lots of people’s property, in my professional view.  The Zoning Commission needs a wholesale change from electors. 

I just sat in on a zoning meeting for a proposed 11,500 s.f house on Smith Neck Rd, quite large house, and the third, long, drawn out meeting for the same single property (it consumed the entire January zoning meeting, while other matters were pushed a month).  I am not affected at all by the proposed new house, except for twice a month in the summer when I put in for a kayak, it is at the head of Smith Neck.  I completely understand 11,500 s.f. is big, but if it is allowed, that is not a problem – I myself would not want it, but rules are rules, and it is very remote from most all properties, not impeding any views from existing properties.  The Zoning Commission on February 10th denied approval based on an arcane regulation overlay, and gave the unfortunate property owners no guidance whatsoever on how to proceed – the entire Commission said, in essence, “Come back to us with another idea, and we will tell you if we like it.”  That is absolutely not fair or judicious.

Apparently, the proposed house comports with Old Lyme zoning regulations (which, by the way, the same current zoning regulations allow for adult entertainment in C30 zone, insane, but the Zoning Commission must be burdened with other revisions…) but did not comport with some vague, crazy overlay regulations from the state funded Gateway Commission, whose regulations Old Lyme adopted wholesale with no changes (typical of our Zoning Commission), even if with our lovely town might not need some of the generic suggestions.  Most citizens know nothing of this adoption, which process is evocative of the wholesale adoption of generic zoning long ago that created the giant mess we have today in New England, which 1960’s ideas were great for new municipalities with perfectly square one acre lots and defined commercial, industrial, etc. areas not yet even developed in the Midwest or Florida, but created a dystopia like we have in Old Lyme.

In full disclosure, I purchased 99 Halls Road empty lot from Essex Savings Bank when they were considering selling to a group that would have a gas station on the lot.  I have kept it empty as Zoning in its current incarnation considers revisions to regulations.  I bought the property four years ago – I am pretty sure I will be waiting for certainty of regulation for a much while longer after my observations tonight, but at least the Town does not have another gas station that so many people do not want.

I know many, many people have been subjected to Zoning and Zoning Board of Appeals in town.  My suggestion to my fellow residents is that the elected positions need to be filled with qualified, not emotional or political, people who can finally create clear rules for which all may abide – here is what you can do, and here is what you can’t do, without having a six month tribunal experience.  Please talk to your neighbors, this is not a small subject for us here in Old Lyme.  I pray your modest garage project goes smoothly, but I may offer it is likely to be a six month project that should be one month.

Sincerely,

J. David Kelsey,
Old Lyme.